State, city, former mayor, former police commissioner named in lawsuit

Share

Shares

Copy Link

{copyShortcut} to copy
Link copied!

Updated: 5:19 PM EDT Jun 22, 2017

Hide TranscriptShow Transcript

WEBVTT DETAILS.KIM: THE COMPLAINT IS 700 PAGES,WITH 60 PLAINTIFFS ALL BUSINESSOWNERS IN BALTIMORE WHO SUFFEREDDAMAGE IN THE RIOTS OF 201THE DEFENDANTS, THE CITY OFBALTIMORE, MAYOR, CITY COUNCILBALTIMORE POLICE DEPARTMENT,, FORMER MAYOR STEPHANIERAWLINGS BLAKE, FORMER POLICECOMMISSIONER ANTHONY BATTS, ANDTHE STATE OF MARYLAND.THE LAWYER FOR THE PLANTIFFSWRITES, " THE CITY AND OTHERDEFENDANTS FAILED THEM WHEN THEYADOPTED A POLICY OF RESTRAINTAND ISSUED STANDDOWN ORDERS,CARING MORE ABOUT THE PUBLICPERCEPTION THAT THEY FEAREDWOULD RESULT WITH INCREASEDPOLICE PRESENCE THAN PREVENTINGWHAT WERE CLEARLY PREVENTABLERIOTS."COURT DOCUMENTS OUTLINE THEWARNING OFFICIALS HAD IN THEDAYS LEADING UP TO THE RIOTSWITH ESCALATING PROTESTSFOLLOWING THE DEATH OF FREDDIEGRAY.THE COMPLAINT STATES THE CITYAND THEN-MAYOR RAWLINGS BLAKE" WERE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THEPUBLIC PERCEPTION THAT IT FEAREDWOULD RESULT WITH INCREASEDPOLICE PRESENCE AND POTENTIALBUSINESS INTERRUPTIONS."IT ALSO DETAILS A STAND DOWNORDER FORMER COMMISSIONER BATTSGAVE TO POLICE.CITING AN FOP REPORT THAT SAYS" OFFICERS WERE ORDERED TO ALLOWTHE PROTESTORS ROOM TO DESTROYAND ALLOW THE DESTRUCTION OF, PROPERTY SO THAT THE RIOTERSWOULD APPEAR TO BE THEAGGRESSORS."ONCE THE RIOTING STARTED INEARNEST, THE DOCUMENTS STATE THECITY SHOULD HAVE ACTED MOREQUICKLY TO BRING IN MORERESOURCES AND THE STATE SHOULD, NOT HAVE WAITED FOR THE CITYTO ASK FOR HELP TO SEND IT IN.DURING THE WORST OF THE RIOTINGON APRIL 27, DOCUMENT STATE "EVEN IN LOCATIONS WHERE BCPDOFFICERS WERE PRESENT, BUSINESSOWNERS HELPLESSLY WATCHED THEIRSTORES BEING LOOTED ANDDESTROYED AS BCPD OFFICERS ALSOSIMPLY WATCHED AND/OR TURNEDAWAY, AND LET THE DESTRUCTION OFPROPERTY CONTINUE."THE LAWSUIT IS SEEKINGCOMPENSATION FOR DAMAGES BUT NO, SPECIFIC DOLLAR AMOUNT.I REACHED OUT TO THEIR LAWYERSFOR ALL OF THE DEFENDANTS.ONLY THOSE FROM THE STATE OFMARYLAND GOT BACK TO ME SAYING

Dozens of businesses damaged during riots sue city, officials

State, city, former mayor, former police commissioner named in lawsuit

Related Content

The complaint is 700 pages long with 60 plaintiffs, who are all business owners in Baltimore who suffered damage during the riots. The defendants are the city of Baltimore, the mayor and City Council, the Baltimore Police Department, former Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, former Police Commissioner Anthony Batts and the state of Maryland.

The lawyer for the plaintiffs wrote, "The city and other defendants failed them when they adopted a policy of restraint and issued stand-down orders, caring more about the public perception that they feared would result with increased police presence than preventing what were clearly preventable riots."

Court documents outlined the warning officials had in the days leading up to the riots with escalating protests following the death of Freddie Gray. The complaint stated the city and Rawlings-Blake "were more concerned about the public perception that it feared would result with increased police presence and potential business interruptions."

It also details a "stand-down" order Batts gave to police, citing a Fraternal Order of Police report that said, "Officers were ordered to allow the protesters room to destroy and allow the destruction of property so that the rioters would appear to be the aggressors."

Once the rioting started in earnest, the documents stated, the city should have acted more quickly to bring in more resources, and the state should not have waited for the city to ask for help to send it in.

During the worst of the rioting on April 27, 2015, documents stated, "Even in locations where BCPD officers were present, business owners helplessly watched their stores being looted and destroyed as BCPD officers also simply watched and/or turned away, and let the destruction of property continue."

The lawsuit is seeking compensation for damages, but no specific dollar amount was mentioned.

The complaint was originally filed in Baltimore City Circuit Court in March but was moved to federal court this week.

WBAL-TV 11 News reached out to lawyers for all of the defendants. Only the state of Maryland responded, saying they don't comment on pending litigation.